EPA opens up for transparency and citizen participation

In Memo to EPA Employees the EPA Administrator commits to new openness and accountability to the American public.

Hey, Jeffrey Levy from the EPA does a better example of explaining this than I do here.

Anyway, here's what impressed me:

General Principles

In all its programs,
EPA will provide for the fullest possible public participation in
decision-making. This requires not only that EPA remain open and
accessible to those representing all points of view, but also that EPA
offices responsible for decisions take affirmative steps to solicit the
views of those who will be affected by these decisions. This includes
communities of color, Native Americans, people disproportionately
impacted by pollution, small businesses, cities and towns working to
meet their environmental responsibilities, and others who have been
historically underrepresented in EPA decision-making. EPA will not
accord privileged status to any special interest, nor will it accept
any recommendation or proposal without careful, critical, and
independent examination.

Appointment Calendars

To keep the public fully informed of my contacts with interested
persons, I have directed that a working copy of my appointment
calendar, showing meetings with members of the public, be provided to
the EPA Office of Public Affairs, where it will be available to the public each day on the EPA Web site.
I also direct other senior Agency officials, including the Deputy
Administrator, the Assistant Administrators, and the Regional
Administrators, to make their working appointment calendars available
to the public in a similar fashion.